But Good Luck With That
by Sarah1281
Summary: Caunira Surana's heard Jowan's mad plan to escape from the Tower...and she wants nothing to do with it. She's been a Mage for two hours and already he wants her to risk Aeonar? Some friend he turned out to be. But still, she hopes it works out for him.


But Good Luck With That

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age.

"So what do you say, Caunira?" Jowan asked hopefully, having just explained his insane plan that was likely to blow up his face and now he was seeking to enlist the aid of the Circle Tower's newest mage.

"Let's see…" Caunira Surana said slowly, tapping her chin lightly as she pretended to consider his request. "I'd really rather not."

"Thank you so much!" Jowan enthused, clearly having been so reliant on her help that he hadn't even bothered to listen to her answer. "You have no idea what this means to Lily and I. We'll never forget it and if we ever have a daughter we'll make sure to name her after you!"

"That's so sweet," Caunira said in a monotone. "But are you even listening to me?"

"Huh?" Jowan looked surprised. Oh, **that** he heard. "Of course I am. Why do you ask?"

"She said 'no', Jowan," Lily informed him sadly. Caunira was actually surprised that a seemingly sensible girl like Lily would end up with someone like Jowan. Not that she had anything against Jowan – and as it happened she had had a crush on him for two highly embarrassing months when she was fifteen although she had long since gotten over him – but Lily was sure to get in a ridiculous amount of trouble for betraying her vows and dating anyone and if that 'anyone' just happened to be a mage…well no wonder she was itching to get out of there. Caunira really wished she could help but as it was the risk was far too great and she wouldn't even get anything out of Jowan and Lily running off into the sunset together. No, far more likely they'd either all get caught or Jowan and possibly Lily would get away and leave her holding the bag.

"No?" Jowan repeated, looking a great deal like a lost puppy. Then again, he always looked like that. Maybe a lost, _kicked_ puppy would be a more accurate description? "What? I…I don't understand."

"It's simply," Caunira explained patiently. "I completed my Harrowing yesterday. I woke up and found out that I passed less than two hours ago. I haven't even moved into the mages quarters yet and you're asking me to risk everything!"

"But they're going to make me **Tranquil**," Jowan reminded her, sounding distressed at the very thought. Not that she blamed him, of course. She was rather fond of Owain but sometimes his complete and utter lack of emotions just really creeped her out and the thought that he had undergone that willingly…well of course Jowan didn't want to end up the same way.

"You don't know that," Caunira insisted. If they really were going to make him Tranquil because they suspected his supposed blood magic made him too dangerous then they would hardly warn him in advance now would they?

"I heard them discussing it," Lily interjected. "I know you don't want to believe it but I assure you that it's true."

"And just how did you hear this? Surely they don't plot preemptive rituals to make potential blood mages tranquil in front of just anyone?" Caunira asked reasonably.

"I'm a Chantry sister," Lily said as if that settled the matter. "They trust me."

"That's very nice for you," Caunira said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. She didn't actually know what had happened but if she had just 'happened' to be the one to hear about Jowan she certainly would be more suspicious than this and, as it happened, was suspicious on Lily's behalf.

"You're supposed to be my friend, Caunira! I just don't understand why you're acting like this," Jowan said, shaking his head helplessly.

For some reason, the words rather irritated the elven mage. "And **you're** supposed to be **my** friend," she snapped back. "And the last time I checked friends don't ask friends to risk everything because they've somehow managed to convince everyone that they're a blood mage!"

"Everyone does not think that I'm a blood mage," Jowan countered, ignoring the first part of her statement. He knew he shouldn't be asking this of her but he was desperate here and she was the only one that he felt he could trust.

"Oh no?" Caunira asked, raising an eyebrow delicately. "That's all anyone seems to be talking about today. It even managed to eclipse my Harrowing and the ever-popular theorizing about that Templar Cullen's mysterious stutter as the hottest topic of conversation."

Jowan paled considerably. "I'm in more trouble than I thought…" he whispered.

"You usually are," Caunira remarked dryly. Jowan – Maker help him – almost seemed to have an outright inability to make a proper decision and never thought about the consequences of his actions which was actually one of the reasons she was hesitant to join his mad quest to destroy his phylactery.

"And you won't help me?" Jowan asked again as if hoping that if he kept trying he might get a different answer.

"No, I won't," Caunira said firmly, hoping he'd get the point sooner or later before someone came in and assumed she was involved.

"Why not?" Jowan demanded. "Normally you would help me." Jowan paused. "Or at the very least be a little nicer about basically throwing me to the Templars."

"True," Caunira admitted grudgingly. "I guess I'm just kind of put-out because I just came from the First Enchanter's study and he told me that the Grey Warden Duncan was _supposed_ to come here looking for a Grey Warden recruit to send to Ostagar but apparently at the last second he decided to go to Orzammar instead."

"And you…wanted to be a Grey Warden?" Jowan asked, vaguely remember that phase she'd gone through a few years ago when all she'd ever talk about was her desire to runoff and join the Grey Wardens.

Caunira looked at him as if that were a very stupid question, which as far as she was concerned it was. "I want a griffon."

"You…DO realize that griffons are extinct, right?" Jowan asked hesitantly. Mage apprentices didn't get much information about the outside world but surely his friend had realized this?

"Until I join the Wardens and visit the empty griffon pens in Weisshaupt I will never believe that," Caunira said stubbornly, crossing her arms in defiance.

"If you don't help me then I'll never succeed," Jowan told her, figuring it was for the best to get off of the topic of Caunira's delusions.

"I'm flattered that you think so highly of my abilities but I'm not going to change my mind," Caunira said flatly.

"How could you do this to me?" Jowan asked, shooting her a hurt look.

"How could I do **what** to you? I'm not doing anything. If I were – and I wanted to get on either Irving or Greagoir's good side- I would tell one of them what you're planning," Caunira informed him.

Jowan looked suddenly fearful. "You won't…will you?"

"No," Caunira assured him. "Chances are they'd make me 'change my mind' and go along with you so they can catch you in the act and since if I were willing to get involved I'd just help you…no, no I have no intention of doing that."

"Good," Jowan sighed in relief. "At least Lily and I aren't going to be stabbed in the back. But that doesn't really matter much if I'm going to be made into a Tranquil anyway."

"I'm sorry for you but if I get caught helping you destroy your phylactery then they'll send me to Aeonar and did you miss the part where I've been a full mage for two hours or so?" Caunira reminded him. "Do what you like, Jowan. I probably should report you but you're my friend so I won't and I'll have to hope your notoriously horrible judgment won't end up causing a war or letting a demon run rampant."

"I'm really not that bad!" Jowan protested.

Caunira coughed awkwardly.

"You know what, no one asked you," Jowan fumed. "Thank you, I guess, for not ratting me out but I do wish you would help me. I mean, honestly. How could I possibly spark a war or enable demons to terrorize people?"

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